Laser eye surgery in Turkey: what you should know
Laser eye surgery in Turkey has become a common choice for patients from the UK, Europe and the Middle East who want to stop depending on glasses or contact lenses. Most of them travel to Istanbul for LASIK, Femto-LASIK, SMILE or PRK; patients over about 45 more often come for lens replacement or cataract surgery. The main reason is the price: in a private eye hospital in Turkey, laser vision correction for both eyes usually costs a fraction of private prices in the UK, Germany or the United States, with the full set of eye tests, the follow-up checks and often transfers included.
Eye surgery in Turkey suits a short trip: a laser treatment takes minutes and most patients need only a few days in Turkey. That does not make it a small decision. Not every eye is suitable, the right technique depends on measurements taken at a detailed examination, and you need a plan for drops and check-ups after you fly home. A responsible clinic tells you after the tests if laser surgery is not right for you.
This guide explains what laser eye surgery and lens surgery cost in Turkey, how LASIK, SMILE and PRK differ, who is and who is not suitable, which tests you will have, how long to stay and how recovery works. The hospitals and eye surgeons on our site, their prices and real patient reviews are shown on this page; every quote is free and the final plan is made only after your eyes have been examined.
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Eye Surgery in Turkey: how it works
- 1Send your photos and questions
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- 2Get a written plan and price
A surgeon reviews your case and you receive a personal plan with the price, usually within 24 hours. Compare hospitals; nothing is paid in advance.
- 3Travel, surgery and aftercare
Airport pick-up, examination, surgery and check-ups in Istanbul, then follow-up with your surgeon after you fly home.
Eye Surgery in Turkey: price list
Starting prices of the treatments the hospitals on our site list, in your currency, next to typical private prices in the UK & EU.
| Treatment | Price in Turkey | UK & EU | Hospitals |
|---|---|---|---|
| LASIK / Femto-LASIK | From €1,260 – €1,510 | 1 | |
| Intralase Surgery | From €1,260 – €1,510 | — | 1 |
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How much does laser eye surgery in Turkey cost?
At the hospitals on our site, LASIK and Femto-LASIK for both eyes start from €1,260, and IntraLase (all-laser) LASIK from €1,260. The price list above shows every eye treatment the hospitals list; SMILE, surface treatments and lens surgery are quoted individually after your tests, because the price depends on the technique and, for lens surgery, on the lens chosen. The table compares typical prices for both eyes. Turkish prices are hospital prices for international patients; the other prices are approximate private-sector totals and vary widely between clinics.
| Treatment (both eyes) | Turkey | United Kingdom | United States | Germany |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| LASIK / Femto-LASIK | from €1,260 | about £2,000–£5,000 | about $4,000–$6,000 | about €2,500–€5,000 |
| SMILE | on request, usually somewhat more than LASIK | about £4,000–£6,000 | about $4,500–$7,000 | about €4,000–€6,000 |
| PRK / surface laser | on request, usually similar to LASIK | about £2,000–£4,500 | about $3,500–$5,500 | about €2,000–€4,000 |
| Lens replacement with trifocal lenses | on request, depends on the lens | about £8,000–£12,000 | about $8,000–$14,000 | about €6,000–€10,000 |
| Cataract surgery, standard lenses | on request | about £4,000–£7,000 privately | about $7,000–$12,000 without insurance | about €3,000–€6,000 privately |
What changes the laser eye surgery cost in Turkey and elsewhere:
- The technique: SMILE and other lenticule procedures need a femtosecond laser and a treatment licence per eye, which usually makes them more expensive than LASIK; a microkeratome flap is cheaper than an all-laser flap.
- Your prescription: high astigmatism, long-sightedness or a wavefront-guided treatment for irregular optics can cost more.
- The lens: in lens replacement and cataract surgery, a monofocal lens costs least; toric lenses for astigmatism and trifocal or extended-depth-of-focus lenses cost considerably more.
- What follows: whether an enhancement in the first year, the check-ups and the drops are included.
Can you get laser eye surgery or lens replacement on the NHS?
The NHS does not provide laser eye surgery to correct short-sightedness, long-sightedness or astigmatism, and lens replacement purely to be free of glasses is also private treatment. Cataract surgery is available on the NHS when the cataract affects your daily life, usually with a standard monofocal lens and with waiting times that vary by area. This is why many UK patients compare private prices at home with eye surgery in Turkey.
Why is eye surgery cheaper in Turkey?
Turkish eye hospitals use the same laser platforms and lens brands as clinics in Western Europe; the difference lies in salaries, running costs, the exchange rate and high patient numbers. A price far below every other quote is a warning sign — it can mean an older laser or extra charges after you arrive.
What laser eye surgery packages include
Most hospitals offer laser eye surgery packages for international patients. A typical package includes:
- the full pre-operative examination with all measurements of the cornea and eye;
- the treatment of both eyes and the surgeon's and theatre fees;
- eye drops, protective shields and sunglasses for the first days;
- a check-up the day after surgery and before you fly home;
- transfers between the airport, the hotel and the hospital, and an interpreter or coordinator;
- often one or more hotel nights.
Flights, extra hotel nights, later check-ups at home and, at some clinics, an enhancement treatment are usually not included. Ask for a written list, including what you pay if the tests show you are not suitable.
LASIK, Femto-LASIK, SMILE or PRK: which technique is right for you?
All modern laser treatments reshape the cornea, the clear front window of the eye, so that light focuses on the retina without glasses. They differ in how the surgeon reaches the tissue that is reshaped — and that changes the recovery and who each technique suits.
| LASIK / Femto-LASIK | SMILE (lenticule extraction) | PRK / LASEK (surface laser) | |
|---|---|---|---|
| How it works | A thin flap is cut in the cornea — with a femtosecond laser in Femto-LASIK, or a blade (microkeratome) in classic LASIK — then an excimer laser reshapes the tissue under it | A femtosecond laser cuts a thin disc of tissue inside the cornea, which is removed through a 2–4 mm opening; no flap | The thin surface layer is removed and the excimer laser reshapes the surface; the surface layer grows back in a few days |
| Treats | Short-sightedness, long-sightedness and astigmatism | Mainly short-sightedness and astigmatism | Short-sightedness, long-sightedness and astigmatism, including thinner corneas |
| Discomfort | Mild, a few hours | Mild, a few hours | Sore and watery for 2–4 days |
| Useful vision | Usually the next day | Usually within 1–3 days | About 1 week; fully sharp after several weeks |
| Main advantage | Fast recovery, wide range of prescriptions, enhancements are straightforward | No flap and a small opening; often less dry eye in the first months | No flap; preserves the most corneal tissue; suits contact sports and some thin corneas |
| Main drawback | A flap that can be displaced by a hard blow, more early dry eye | Enhancements are usually done with surface laser; not suitable for every prescription | Slower, more uncomfortable recovery; risk of haze |
IntraLase is a femtosecond laser used to make the LASIK flap — "bladeless" or all-laser LASIK is the same as Femto-LASIK. SmartSight is a lenticule extraction similar to SMILE on another laser platform. LASEK and wavefront PRK are surface treatments. Your surgeon recommends the technique after the tests. For very high prescriptions or corneas too thin for any laser, an implantable lens inside the eye or a lens replacement may be the better option.
Who is not suitable for laser eye surgery? Checking if you are a candidate
You are likely to be a good candidate if you:
- are at least 18, and preferably over about 21;
- have a prescription that has changed by no more than about half a dioptre over the last one to two years;
- have a prescription within the range the technique can treat — roughly up to −8 to −10 for short-sight, up to about +4 for long-sight and up to about 5–6 dioptres of astigmatism with LASIK, with individual limits set by your corneal measurements;
- have corneas that are thick enough and regular in shape on the scans;
- have otherwise healthy eyes.
Who is not suitable for laser eye surgery, or should wait:
- people with keratoconus or a cornea that is thin or irregular on the scan — reshaping can weaken it further; corneal cross-linking may be the right treatment instead;
- people with severe dry eye, until it is treated;
- women who are pregnant or breastfeeding, because hormones change the prescription;
- people with uncontrolled diabetes, some autoimmune diseases, active eye infections, uncontrolled glaucoma or significant cataract;
- people whose prescription is still changing, including most teenagers;
- people over about 45 who mainly want to read without glasses — laser does not cure the age-related loss of near focus, so lens replacement or a monovision plan is discussed instead.
Can you have laser eye surgery with astigmatism? Usually yes: LASIK, SMILE and PRK all correct astigmatism within limits, and toric lenses correct it in lens surgery.
Lens replacement and cataract surgery in Turkey for the over-45s
From the mid-forties, the eye's natural lens gradually loses its ability to focus on near objects (presbyopia) and later becomes cloudy (cataract). Laser eye surgery on the cornea does not change this. For many patients over 45–50, especially with long-sightedness or a high prescription, lens replacement surgery in Turkey is therefore the better option: the natural lens is removed through a tiny incision with ultrasound (phacoemulsification) and replaced by an artificial intraocular lens. Because the natural lens is gone, a cataract cannot develop later.
- Monofocal lenses give clear vision at one distance — usually far — and you wear reading glasses for near.
- Toric lenses also correct astigmatism.
- Trifocal and extended-depth-of-focus lenses give vision at several distances and make most people largely independent of glasses, at the cost of some halos around lights at night and, in some patients, slightly lower contrast.
Cataract surgery in Turkey uses the same technique. It takes about 15–30 minutes per eye under anaesthetic drops, often with light sedation; usually one eye is treated first and the second a day or a few days later. A cataract operation with a multifocal lens is lens replacement for an eye that already has a cataract. Multifocal lenses are not suitable for everyone — for example with macular disease, advanced glaucoma or a job that depends on night driving.
Other eye treatments in Turkey
Eye hospitals in Turkey also treat conditions that have nothing to do with glasses. Patients travel for corneal cross-linking and corneal ring implants for keratoconus, corneal transplants, glaucoma surgery, retina and vitreous surgery and squint surgery for children and adults. These are planned individually, so send your recent reports and scans with your enquiry.
Pre-operative tests: what happens at the examination
The examination is the most important part of your trip — it decides whether you are suitable and which technique is safest. It takes about two to three hours and usually includes:
- measuring your prescription with and without dilating drops (refraction);
- a map of the shape of the cornea front and back (corneal topography or tomography) to exclude keratoconus;
- the thickness of the cornea (pachymetry);
- pupil size in dim light, tear-film tests for dry eye and the eye pressure;
- a dilated check of the lens and retina;
- for lens surgery, the length of the eye and lens power calculation (biometry), often with a scan of the macula (pre-operative cataract diagnostics).
Stop wearing contact lenses before the tests, because they change the shape of the cornea: usually about one week for soft lenses, two weeks for toric soft lenses and three to four weeks for rigid lenses — your clinic gives exact instructions. Bring your glasses and previous prescriptions. Dilating drops blur vision for hours, so do not drive afterwards.
Is laser eye surgery in Turkey safe?
Laser eye surgery in Turkey is as safe as the hospital, the surgeon and the examination before it. Hospitals need a Ministry of Health licence, hospitals treating international patients need a separate health-tourism authorisation, and many large private hospitals are accredited by Joint Commission International (JCI). Eye surgeons in Turkey complete a specialist training in ophthalmology and are registered with the Ministry of Health; many are members of the Turkish Ophthalmological Association or European societies such as ESCRS.
Laser vision correction is one of the most studied elective operations, and most suitable patients reach the vision they hoped for. Serious problems mostly come from treating eyes that should not have been treated — a thin or irregular cornea missed by incomplete tests — so a careful examination and an honest "no" when needed matter more than the country or the price.
Finding the best laser eye surgery in Turkey: how to choose a clinic
Clear criteria separate a safe choice from a risky one:
- A licensed hospital or eye hospital with its own diagnostic equipment, not a clinic that sends you elsewhere for tests.
- A named ophthalmologist who reviews your tests, explains the technique and performs the treatment — ask how many procedures of this type they perform each year.
- Several techniques available, so the choice follows your eyes, not the equipment.
- Named laser platforms and lens brands — a good clinic tells you which femtosecond and excimer lasers, or which intraocular lens, it uses.
- A written plan with your measurements, the technique, the expected result, the price and the enhancement policy.
- Clear aftercare: who answers your questions after you return, and whether reports are provided for your optician or eye doctor at home.
Warning signs: a guaranteed result or "perfect vision" promised before any test, a deposit for surgery before the examination, pressure to book quickly, treatment on the day of arrival without a full examination, or a plan to fly home the same day after surgery.
When you read laser eye surgery reviews, look for reviews written weeks or months later that mention the result and the follow-up, not only the hotel. Each hospital page on our site shows real patient reviews. Read also our checklist on how to choose a safe surgeon in Turkey and compare the hospitals on our site.
LASIK eye surgery in Istanbul: how long to stay in Turkey
Most patients have LASIK eye surgery in Istanbul, which has the largest choice of eye hospitals and direct flights from most of Europe and the Middle East. Your surgeon confirms at the last check that you can travel.
| Treatment | Time in Turkey | Back to desk work |
|---|---|---|
| LASIK / Femto-LASIK | 2–3 days | 1–2 days |
| SMILE | 2–3 days | 2–3 days |
| PRK / LASEK | 5–7 days | About 1 week |
| Lens replacement, both eyes | 4–7 days | About 1 week |
| Cataract surgery, both eyes | 4–7 days | About 1 week |
A typical LASIK plan: day 1, arrival and the full examination; day 2, surgery, which takes about 10–15 minutes for both eyes, after which you rest at the hotel; day 3, the check-up and, if all is well, the flight home. After PRK you stay until the protective contact lens is removed.
Flying home: flying is generally fine once the surgeon has checked your eyes the day after laser or lens surgery. Use lubricating drops often during the flight. The one important exception is retina surgery with a gas bubble in the eye: you must not fly until the bubble has gone, which can take weeks.
Recovery and aftercare at home
Vision sharpens over the days and weeks after LASIK or SMILE. Typical aftercare:
- Drops: antibiotic drops for about a week, anti-inflammatory steroid drops for one to several weeks (longer after PRK), and lubricating drops for several months.
- No rubbing: wear the protective shields at night for about a week and do not rub your eyes for a month.
- Water and make-up: keep soap and water out of your eyes for the first days; no swimming or hot tubs for about two weeks and no eye make-up for about a week.
- Sport: light exercise after a few days; contact sports after about a month, or as your surgeon advises.
- Screens and driving: screen work is usually possible after a day or two with regular breaks; drive only when your vision meets the legal standard, which your surgeon or optician confirms.
- Check-ups: at about one week, one month, three months and six months — with your optician or eye doctor at home, using the report from Turkey, or by video with the hospital.
Take home the surgery report with your measurements: an eye doctor who operates on a cataract years later needs them for accurate lens calculations. Read also our advice on flying after surgery abroad.
Risks and side effects of laser eye surgery
The most common side effects are temporary:
- Dry eye: very common in the first weeks and months, usually settling within three to six months with lubricating drops.
- Glare, halos and starbursts around lights at night, usually fading over months; more likely with large pupils and high prescriptions, and with multifocal lenses.
- Under- or over-correction and later regression, which may need glasses for some tasks or an enhancement treatment once the eye has stabilised.
Less common are flap problems after LASIK, haze after PRK, infection and inflammation. A rare but serious complication is corneal ectasia — progressive weakening and bulging of the cornea — which is why the corneal scans before surgery are essential. After lens surgery, the capsule behind the new lens can become cloudy months or years later; a quick outpatient laser treatment clears it. Retinal detachment and serious infection after lens surgery are rare, but need urgent treatment: sudden pain, worsening vision, new floaters, flashes or a shadow are emergencies — contact an eye casualty department at once.
Is laser eye surgery permanent? The correction itself is permanent, but your eyes continue to age: presbyopia from the mid-forties and cataract later in life still happen, and a small change of prescription is possible over the years. If needed, a second treatment is often possible when enough corneal tissue remains.
Costs beyond the surgery, insurance and documents
- Not usually included: flights, extra hotel nights, a companion's costs, check-ups with your optician at home and, at some clinics, later enhancements.
- Insurance: ordinary travel insurance usually excludes planned treatment abroad. Specialist medical-travel insurance that covers complications and a longer stay is available; check what counts as a complication and how long cover lasts.
- Payment: at the hospitals on our site you pay the hospital directly on arrival; requesting a quote costs nothing.
All Eye Surgery treatments
Browse every Eye Surgery treatment available at our partner hospitals in Turkey, grouped by category.
Laser Vision Correction7 treatments
Cataract & Lens Surgery6 treatments
Retina5 treatments
Glaucoma5 treatments
Cornea4 treatments
Strabismus & Paediatric Eye4 treatments
Eye Surgery in Turkey reviews
Reviews of the hospitals and surgeons on this page that perform Eye Surgery, with reviews about this treatment first. Reviews from Google are marked.
It's a terrible place. I used many of its departments, even had surgery there, but I'll never go near it again. When you call about the results, they even hang up on you.
I had a mommy makeover with Dr. Murat Yaman in September and I am extremely satisfied with my results. Dr. Yaman contoured my waist and back with liposuction and then performed the muscle repair with tummy tuck. His precision has given me a beautiful hour glass body. I am forever grateful to Dr. Murat Yaman. He is the most sweetest, gentlest person. The nurses at the hospital also cared for after surgery and did their best to assist me because I did not have a companion. Bless their hearts.
I met Professor Burcu Aktürk on the day I had my gallbladder surgery, and from that very first day, I believed I could successfully overcome this challenging process with her help. Afterwards, I scheduled appointments with her and we started our diet program regularly. Her cheerful demeanor, sincere approach, motivation, and wonderful recipes always supported me throughout this process. Thanks to her, I reached my target weight. I sincerely thank her for her efforts, care, and support. She is definitely number one in her field! I wholeheartedly recommend her to everyone. 💐
⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ Outstanding Hospital Experience and Exceptional Care I had a wonderful experience at this hospital during my stay for rhinoplasty (nose surgery). From the moment we arrived, the staff were professional, attentive, and genuinely committed to making sure our needs were met. Although there was a language barrier because not everyone spoke English, the staff did an excellent job communicating with us, understanding our requests, and making sure we received the care and assistance we needed. They were incredibly efficient, quick to respond, and took the time to listen and understand exactly what we were asking for. We never felt like our concerns were being ignored. The doctors also deserve special recognition for their professionalism and punctuality. They came to see us in a very timely manner and continued checking on us frequently after surgery, which gave us great comfort and reassurance throughout the recovery process. A special shout-out to Miss Inci, who is responsible for the nursing team. The nurses on Floor 4, Block A, were absolutely wonderful! They were attentive, helpful, and caring, and their dedication made our hospital stay so much more comfortable. Their hard work and commitment to patient care truly deserve recognition. Overall, I am extremely grateful for the care we received. Despite the language barrier, the entire team went above and beyond to make sure we were understood, comfortable, and well taken care of. Their efficiency, kindness, and professionalism made a lasting impression on us. Thank you to the doctors, nurses, and entire hospital team for making this experience such a positive one. I would absolutely recommend this hospital to anyone considering surgery and looking for a team that genuinely cares about its patients!
Only selected 1 star because 0 isn't available. A family member of mine went into surgery in this "hospital", thinking it's a prestigious medical facility, turns out they have the worst patient treatment that our family member has ever experienced. All of the staff lacked adequate attention and supervision to a patient freshly out of a risky surgery, even if the nurses are called to the room, no one shows up or answers, let's not mention the other "staff"... either way if you care about the health of your loved ones, don't consider this place. 0/10
I had gallbladder surgery with Professor Alaattin Öztürk about 20 days ago. I was up and running again just two hours after the surgery. The excruciating pain I had before the operation suddenly disappeared, and I was able to return to work three days later. I would like to thank him very much for his incredibly gentle touch and his care and attention.
All reviews of Lokman Hekim Istanbul HospitalAll reviews of Academic Hospital
Conditions
Frequently asked questions
At the hospitals on our site LASIK and Femto-LASIK for both eyes start from about €1,250, shown in your currency on this page — usually a fraction of private prices in the UK, Germany or the US. SMILE, PRK and lens surgery are quoted after your tests; the exact price follows the examination.
It is as safe as the hospital, the surgeon and the examination before it. Choose a Ministry of Health licensed hospital with full diagnostic equipment and a named ophthalmologist, have the complete pre-operative tests, and accept a clinic's advice if it tells you that you are not suitable.
LASIK reshapes the cornea under a thin flap; in Femto-LASIK the flap is cut with a femtosecond laser instead of a blade. SMILE removes a thin disc of tissue through a small opening without a flap. All three correct short-sightedness and astigmatism; the surgeon chooses after measuring your cornea.
People with keratoconus or thin, irregular corneas, severe dry eye, an unstable prescription, pregnancy or breastfeeding, uncontrolled diabetes or some autoimmune diseases, and active eye disease. People over about 45 who mainly want to read without glasses are often better suited to lens replacement.
The eyes are numbed with drops, so you feel pressure rather than pain during the treatment. After LASIK or SMILE the eyes feel gritty for a few hours; after PRK they are sore and watery for two to four days, controlled with painkillers and drops.
About 10–15 minutes for both eyes; the laser itself works for less than a minute per eye. With the examination, the treatment and the check-up, plan 2–3 days in Turkey for LASIK or SMILE.
The correction is permanent. Your eyes still age, so most people need reading glasses from their mid-forties and may develop a cataract later in life, and a small change of prescription is possible over the years.
Yes, within limits. LASIK, SMILE and PRK all correct astigmatism, typically up to about 5–6 dioptres depending on the technique and your corneal measurements. In lens surgery, toric lenses correct astigmatism.
Often yes. If the result changes or is not fully corrected, an enhancement is possible when enough corneal tissue remains, usually after the eye has been stable for several months. Ask whether enhancements are included in your price.
About 2–3 days for LASIK or SMILE, 5–7 days for PRK or LASEK, and 4–7 days for lens replacement or cataract surgery in both eyes. The surgeon checks your eyes before you fly.
Usually after the check-up the day after surgery. Use lubricating drops often because cabin air is dry. After retina surgery with a gas bubble you must not fly until the bubble has gone.
Often, yes. From the mid-forties the natural lens loses its near focus, which laser surgery cannot restore. Lens replacement with a multifocal or extended-depth-of-focus lens can correct distance and near vision and prevents a later cataract, but it is a more invasive operation with its own risks.
It depends on the lens: a standard monofocal lens costs least, toric and trifocal lenses considerably more. The hospitals on our site quote cataract surgery after the pre-operative tests; prices for international patients are usually well below private prices in the UK, US or Germany.
Your prescription with and without dilating drops, a map of the cornea (topography or tomography), corneal thickness, pupil size, tear-film tests, eye pressure and a dilated check of the retina. Stop contact lenses one to four weeks beforehand, as your clinic advises.
Most suitable patients no longer need glasses for distance. Some need them for night driving or fine tasks, especially with high prescriptions, and from the mid-forties nearly everyone needs reading glasses unless they have a monovision plan or lens replacement.
Dry eye, halos and glare at night are common and usually settle within months. Under- or over-correction may need an enhancement. Infection, flap problems and corneal ectasia are rare; thorough tests before surgery are the main protection.
You must be at least 18, and many surgeons prefer over 21 with a stable prescription. There is no strict upper limit, but from the mid-forties lens replacement is often the better choice, and laser is not advised once a cataract has started.
Most international patients have LASIK eye surgery in Istanbul, which has the largest number of eye hospitals and flights. Eye hospitals also exist in Antalya, Izmir and Ankara; the hospitals on our site are in Istanbul.
Usually the full examination, treatment of both eyes, drops and shields, check-ups during your stay, transfers and an interpreter, and often hotel nights. Flights, extra nights and later check-ups at home are usually not included.